This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it.

This was a pretty good graphic novel. We meet a boy who goes on tons of adventures thanks to their vivid imagination. When he gets separated from his parents, he uses his imagination to become a superhero and take some powerful foes down while trying to find them. As this graphic novel comes to a close this boy ends up doing something pretty amazing.

I can certainly see what this one is going for, showing the rich internal life of a nonverbal child. I can see ho it might encourage empathy in a young reader.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The book was interesting. It showed Logan's inner world in a way that the reader can understand.

This was a very wild and graphic novel that should be in classrooms for all grades. It’s about a young boy named Lucas who is nonverbal. We see this story play out both from his parents, and from Lucas’s point of view. Lucas ‘s family takes him on the train to go see a parade. On the train, he makes friend, and ends up helping find her lost parents during the parade. He does this all while dealing with his own fears, anxiety, nonverbal communication. This book was short and well done but makes all his points and would be a great educational tool for kids that might need help understanding a nonverbal friend or classmate.

This was great. It was such a fantastic look into the all around difficulties, but also the bonuses, of Angelman Syndrome. Being nonverbal is hard for both the person and those in their circle, but it gives them so many other ways to express themselves. I love this imagined world.

A fun little tale about a boy who can't speak, but still lives a rich, full life, not only in real life but in his own vivid imagination. Loga in non-verbal and communicates through sign language. He is scared of some things: people in masks, the neighbor's dog, but when he needs to be brave he steps up to the challenge and defies the odds, just like the superhero he is in his fantasies.

Thank you Kids Can Press and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this great book. It was very interesting to see sign language represented on the page since the main character is nonverbal. Wonderful addition to any middle grade graphic novel collection as well as great disability representation (Angleman Syndrome based on the author’s son).

Logan is a no-nverbal kid who wants to make friends, go to the Santa parade, and watch the trains. He’s very outgoing but also scared of masks and the barking dog next door. In his head, he’s a superhero who stomps out the scary evils of the world and helps save the day. When he and another girl get lost at the parade, can Logan become ThunderBoom and save the day even if he can’t talk?

The author’s note in the back says that this story was inspired by his son with Angleman Syndrome and what might go on in his head. The story portrays Izzy (Logan’s sister) as having a lot more confidence in Logan’s abilities than his parents, and parents who love him but are sometimes overwhelmed by Logan’s impulsive behavior and inability to fully communicate. I’ve never read anything with a character who has Angleman’s Syndrome before, and there are very few stories featuring non-verbal characters. Logan’s sister has a good point about Logan’s comprehension, and from working with nonverbal students in the past I will say they often comprehend way more than we expect. (I remember a mostly non-verbal middle school girl who most teachers talked to like a kindergartner laughed at a pretty sophisticated joke someone else said while she was in the library one time. Ever since then I talked to her like she was in middle school, and she had no problem understanding.) This book is a good reminder that just because someone can’t talk, it doesn’t mean they don’t understand or have brilliant imaginations. I will say that some readers may have comprehension problems with interpreting Logan’s imagined scenes and what they meant in real life. I think that’s somewhat on purpose.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are unsafe situations at the parade when the kids are lost but it ends well. Logan beats up monsters in his imagination. (It isn’t gory.)

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This middle grade graphic novel tells the story of a boy who takes on super powers and has adventures. It is a fun story and is written in a way that will engage young readers. The illustrations are detailed but not overly bright, they remind me of Michael Marchenko (Robert Munsch) style. I would recommend this book for readers in the age 8-11 range. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

ThunderBoom is a unique creative vision that brings a style and resonance all its own to the graphic novel medium and the superhero genre. I loved the well-rounded and likeable protagonist, the creativity of the visual world (including some fascinating villain design), and the invitational nature of this book. Perfect for readers of all ages, from upper elementary on to adulthood.

Logan is an 11 year old boy. He is nonverbal which means that although he can communicate, he doesn't do so through speaking out loud. His parents are taking him to the Santa parade in town. In the real world, he has some challenges that he must overcome. In his head, he overcomes those challenges as a superhero called ThunderBoom. His adventure tot he Santa parade is a very good read.

I love this story because it was very real. As an educator that works with many different types of students, some that are nonverbal, the depiction of Logan is realistic. I could see Logan in some of my students. I think that the world needs books like ThunderBoom because kids should be able to see themselves in the books they read.

I definitely recommend this book for 3rd through 6th grade classrooms. I think that every student regardless of their ability should read this book. It is a good way to learn how to be a friend. It is also a good way to learn that there are multiple ways that people communicate with one another and share space in the world. I also think that a vivid imagination is something that all kids can relate to. Parents, teachers, and children can all find something to love in ThunderBoom.

I have started reading more graphic novels in order to find a bigger selection, this book is 50/50. I didn't feel like this would be a good fit for our library.

This is an interesting graphic novel which covers a disability which may not be well known. The main character, Logan, cannot speak and is nonverbal. He also has difficulty expressing himself because he is different and those around him, even his parents and siblings, do not have the same challenges.

There are many aspects of this book that would be good for discussion with an early reader or when reading aloud, including empathy and understanding of those who are not like us, overcoming the challenges that others may see in a way that is positive and uplifting, and mental or physical disabilities.

Logan has a good heart, and while things around him may not be easy to deal with, he does what is right by others and tries to protect himself from harm. Both are admirable traits, but to outsiders they can seem like socially inappropriate or awkward behaviours.

I was rooting for Logan from the start, but especially in his quest to find Santa and to fight the monsters that were scaring him. I was understanding of his parents, but I also found his mom to be less tolerant of his outburst and as a result I was actually angry with her for being like that with her son. At the same time, if he was my son, I'm sure there would be moments when I too would be frustrated with him. Through no fault of his.

The artwork was nice too, and while it jumped into and out of Logan's head, I didn't find that as confusing as it could have been.

All in all, a good read.

It's time to see Santa in this heartwarming graphic novel about young Logan, who can't speak, who travels to the Christmas parade with his family. He lives with his parents and older sister, and one day his parents offer to take the whole family to the parade. Yet, as the parade begins, Logan gets lost, and he uses his imagination to help him find his family. Throughout the book, he fights samurai, clowns, and robots who challenge him. Can Logan make it safely back to his family by the end of the day?
Honestly, I had a hard time reading this one. It was challenging to get into, and staying with it was pretty hard. I felt like I had no connection with the characters, and the art style didn't grasp me at all. Thunderbolt had great morale, but this book wasn't for me.

So cute. Reading the author's note and realizing that the author of this wrote this book for his son who is also nonverbal and has Angelman syndrome absolutely ripped my heart out. I am a sucker for parents doing the most.

This book follows Logan who is a nonverbal kid and his adventure for the day at a parade. Logan really struggles with masks and they frighten him a lot and so in his head he came up with this superhero character that can fight them off. He transforms into a Thunderboom.

I really love the sister in this book but I also love the moments where you get Logan's internal dialogue. I think we have a severe lack of books with diverse disability representation and really allowing nonverbal representation at all. Logan isn't stupid or dumb or careless, he is nonverbal and he finds other ways to communicate.

I think this is a great addition to middle grade graphic novels as a whole and a wonderful addition to books with disability rep. I definitely recommend this one.

I am not sure if it is intentional but one of the main themes of the character hating masks and really ripping masks off had this underlying message to me about masking which is a common thing that neurodivergent people do to fit in with neurotypicals. We don a mask that is more normal for others and sometimes that eliminates our own self and it's exhausting. So whether or not it was intentional, I loved this idea of ripping off the mask and throwing that whole concept of masking in the garbage.